"I Get Up. I Walk. I Fall Down. Meanwhile, I Keep Dancing."

This was a quote my mother really took to heart. She lead the most vibrant, spirited life until it was cut short by Pancreatic Cancer, 12 days after her diagnosis. She was 62 years old.

I learned so much from my mother as she faced adversity.  She was first diagnosed with a brain tumor on her spinal column in 1993. After an 11-hour surgery to remove the tumor, she was left deaf in one ear and paralized on the left side of her face. After three weeks in the hospital, she was home. And she was inspiring.

Over the next 10 years, she underwent another 5 brain surgeries. But she never gave up on life. She was always outwardly positive, even through all of her frustrations of her condition. She was always encouraging, even when she herself needed to be encouraged. She gave everything of herself to the benefit of others - and she had a huge impact on many lives around her.

After she and my father went through the loss of a child, they adopted a son - and gave me the greatest gift I could have ever hoped for: the gift of a loving family that never, never gave up.

Pancreatic cancer took my mother from my father and I - and there was nothing we could do. I know if the disease had taken myself or my father, she would do whatever she could to have a positive impact on families affected by this horrible disease. 

Mom, I'm doing what I know you would have done for me. 

There can be a cure for Pancreatic Cancer - it starts with awareness and early detection.  Because when Pancreatic Cancer is caught early, chances of survival increase dramatically. And your small contribution to this effort can have a huge impact on the effort to educate patients and healthcare providers on the warning signs of this terrible disease. 

Thank you in advance for your time and your consideration to helping find a cure for Pancreatic Cancer.